PICKERING -- George Ashe, the first mayor of the Town of Pickering, has died.

Mr. Ashe, 81, died Sunday, Aug. 3 at the Village of Taunton Mills in Whitby after a lengthy struggle with Parkinson’s disease.

Kevin Ashe remembers his father as “a get-things-done kind of guy.”

It was Mr. Ashe’s public service that rubbed off on Kevin, he said, noting he remembers his father being elected an MPP in 1977 and politics has been “in the blood since then.”

Kevin Ashe is the Ward 1 City Councillor in Pickering, and prior to that was a long-time trustee on the Durham Catholic District School Board.

“As a family, we’ve all been very involved in the community. Dad was involved in politics before we moved to Durham,” Kevin Ashe said.

George Ashe became involved in public service in Nepean, serving as an alderman.

When the family moved to Pickering, Mr. Ashe continued his public service, when he was elected deputy reeve of Pickering Township in 1969 and then elected the first mayor of the Town of Pickering in 1973.

George Ashe served as mayor until 1977, when he was elected MPP for Durham West riding. He was appointed to cabinet as the minister of revenue in 1981 by then-premier Bill Davis.

A subsequent cabinet posting in the Davis government saw Mr. Ashe become minister of government services. When Frank Miller replaced Mr. Davis, who retired, as premier, Mr. Ashe served as minister of energy and then chairman of the management board.

After leaving the legislature, Mr. Ashe concluded his public service as a Catholic school trustee in Clarington.

“He was a hard worker, but a quiet guy. He didn’t seek the spotlight,” Kevin Ashe said. “He did his work. His work ethic reflected the ministries he headed.”

Those ministries weren’t the type that got headlines, but were important to the government, he noted.

Kevin Ashe also remembers his father as “a great dad. There were four kids and we were blessed with loving parents.”

His mother Margaret, also known as Margo, died in January.

“They really provided for us at home. Mom was part of Dad’s political life. She was the best politician at home anyway,” he said.

All flags at City of Pickering facilities will be flown at half-mast to recognize George Ashe’s contribution to the community.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of George Ashe,” Mayor Dave Ryan said in a statement. “While history books will recognize him as Pickering’s very first mayor, we will remember him as both a dear friend and proud community leader.”

Mr. Ashe is survived by children Steven of Pickering, Cheryl (Erwin) of Uxbridge, Kevin (Karen) of Pickering, and Brian (Susan) of Michigan, grandchildren Andrea (Kevin), Matthew (Krista), and Eric (Tara) Hinzel, Tori and Tyler Ashe and their mother Katie. He was great-grandfather, or Grumpy, of Anika. He also is survived by his sister Dianne Hurtubise and his brother Garry Ashe, both of Ottawa.

Visitation will be held at McEachnie Funeral Home, 28 Old Kingston Rd., Ajax, on Thursday, Aug. 7, from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral mass will be held at Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church, 796 Eyer Dr., Pickering on Friday, Aug. 8, at 11 a.m. Reception to follow. Cremation to follow with private interment to take place in Ottawa at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Parkinson’s SuperWalk would be appreciated by the family.